Only Answer
by PotatoCakes
Summary: Something done plenty of times: Paige's suicide. What really happened and can it be prevented?
1. Default Chapter

Dear Piper and Phoebe,  
  
I don't really know how to say goodbye forever, or how to explain this to you. I don't think I can ever make you understand how it feels. But I'm going to try with all my heart. And before I even get started, I want to tell you I know you guys tried and it's not your fault, so don't ever blame yourselves for this. If anything, you're the only people who kept me around this long. You have been an amazing family to me, and you were the ones who gave those few moments where I was truly happy. But losing my parents was so hard and I've never gotten over it, I never will. And then I lost Mom and Sam wasn't there...my life just plain sucks. Glenn is gone now, and that hurts so much. And what hurts the most is that I wasn't supposed to be here. Prue was. It's my fault she isn't. And I can't stand it anymore, I can't stand knowing my pain, or knowing yours. I'm finally ready to do this, I've got the pills in my hand. I love you guys so much, my time with you has been the best of my life. Please don't try to save me, my life is over, and that's just the way it has to be.  
  
Love always, your baby sister, Paige  
  
Paige folded up the letter and left it on the counter. She slowly climbed the stairs and went to the bathroom. Her reflection became distorted as she opened the bathroom cabinet and removed a bottle of Tylenol. She reached for a glass of water and took the entire bottle, pill by pill. The pain washed away little by little with each one. She took a deep breath as she swallowed the last pill. It was over. Finally, it was over. Walking blindly to her room, she began to feel dizzy. As she fell onto the bed she felt her muscles relax and everything went black. Am I dead? Paige wondered to herself. God, I hope so. I'm so sick of this thing they call life. Paige smiled to herself as she completely blacked out. 


	2. The Note

Phoebe Halliwell juggled the bag of groceries as she unlocked the door to the manor home she shared with her two sisters, Piper and Paige, and her brother-in-law, Piper's husband, Leo Wyatt. The couple had finally taken their long overdue honeymoon on a seven-day cruise in the Bahamas. This left Paige and Phoebe at home for some sisterly bonding and Phoebe was really looking forward to the time she was going to get to spend with her younger sister. She had decided to stock up on plenty of fatty, caloric snacks for them to pig out on during their movie marathon.  
Phoebe slammed the door shut behind her and began to walk towards the kitchen. "Paige!" she shouted. "Paige? I'm home!" She dropped the paper bag on the counter and spotted a note. 'Oh, she must have gone out,' Phoebe thought to herself. She reached for the note and carefully unfolded it. Her eyes quickly scanned the note, barely taking in what it said. The note fluttered to the ground. Her sister had committed suicide. 'No, it's a joke!' Phoebe thought desperately. 'She's playing a joke on me!' Then her mind cleared. This is not something anyone would joke about, especially not Paige.  
Feet met tile as Phoebe rushed into the foyer and up the stairs to her sister's bedroom. The door was open. Fearing the worst, Phoebe peered around the doorframe. There she was, her beautiful baby sister, lying dead on the bed. Maybe not, she realized, racing forward to check Paige's pulse. It was faint, faint, but it was there. Phoebe took a deep breath and looked towards the heavens. "Leo!" she shouted. "Leo! It's an emergency! Leo, get down here, God damn it! Leo!" He wasn't coming. She only had one other option. One that may not work. She reached for the phone. Her head was so clouded with emotion she could barely remember what number to call. 9-1-1 her fingers slowly dialed. It ringed. 'Come on,' Phoebe thought franticly. 'My sister's life depends on this.' 


	3. What happened?

Phoebe fell out of her premonition with a gasp. Piper, who had been standing beside her, reached to support her. "What did you see?" Piper asked her sister quickly.

"Paige," Phoebe sobbed, "Paige. She killed herself."

"What! How! Why!"

"I—I don't know, I don't know. There was a note and pills. I was grocery shopping. I came back and she was—she was—"

"Dead?"

"Dying."

"Well, did we save her?"

"I didn't see. We have to stop her, Piper!"

"We will, we will. When did it happen?"

"During the day. There was light from the windows," Phoebe said, wiping away her tears. "That's all I know."

Phoebe and Piper heard footsteps behind them. Paige walked into the conservatory, a bottle of Tylenol in her hand. Piper and Phoebe stared at the bottle, looking aghast. Paige followed her sisters' eyes with utter confusion. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"What's the Tylenol for?" Phoebe countered, finally meeting Paige's eyes.

"Headache. You guys ok?"

"Yeah," Piper replied, "Yeah, we're good. Can we talk to you?"

"Sure. Just let me get some water so I can take this first." Paige strode towards the kitchen. Piper and Phoebe tagged along like faithful puppy dogs. Paige pulled a glass out of the cupboard and set it on the counter with a thud. She spun around and faced her sisters. "Are you sure you guys are ok?" she asked.

"Yes, of course we are honey," Phoebe replied. Then she quickly added, "Are you?"

"Yeah. What do you want to talk to me about?" Paige reached for the Tylenol bottle.

"Here, let me," Piper said, taking the bottle right out of Paige's hand.

"Um, ok." Paige held out her hand and Piper shook a single pill into Paige's palm. "You guys are acting really strange."

"Yeah, well, why don't we go talk about that in the living room," Piper suggested, taking Paige's elbow before she could reply.

Piper and Paige settled onto the couch with Phoebe sitting on a chair diagonal to them. Phoebe reached for Paige's hand, squeezing it gently. "Paige, have you ever been...suicidal?"

"Whoa! You're going to randomly sit me down here and ask me if I've ever thought of killing myself?"

"It's not random," Piper said.

"What do you mean 'it's not random'? How is it not random?"

"I had a premonition, honey," Phoebe said softly.

"You had a premonition? Of me………killing myself?"

Phoebe nodded as Piper asked, "Can you think of any reason you would want to do that?"

Paige shook her head quickly. Then something hit her. "Yes," she admitted in a whisper.


	4. Let us Help

"What is it?" Phoebe asked.

"My parents."

"Your parents?"

"Yes, tomorrow is the anniversary of their death. I always lose it. Sometimes I try—"

"To commit suicide?" Piper asked. Paige nodded.

"But you've always been fine before this," Phoebe said.

Paige shook her head. "I just never cut deep enough."

"You used a razor blade?" Phoebe gasped.

Paige nodded again. "It never worked. It was only deep enough to leave scars."

"Can we see them?" Piper asked slowly.

Paige squeezed her eyes shut and leaned back her head, sticking out her left wrist. Phoebe took that to be a "go ahead" and reached for her sister's arm. She pushed Paige's long sleeve up. The inside of her arm was covered in thick red and white scars. Phoebe ran her finger over them, feeling the roughness of her baby sister's pain.

Piper followed Phoebe's fingers with her eyes. She was shocked that in the three and a half years she had known her long-lost sister she had never noticed any scars or cuts on her arms. She watched Paige's reaction to Phoebe's touch. Paige flinched each time Phoebe's finger touched one of her scars. A tiny tear trickled out of Paige's closed eye. Piper brushed it away gently. "Do you would be able to get through it this year, if we helped you through it."

Paige made no move to reply.

Phoebe carefully pulled Paige's sleeve back down and held her hand. She slipped onto the couch beside Paige and squeezed her little sister's hand. "We don't want you to hurt yourself anymore. There's never any reason for you to have to do that. We want to be there for you so don't have to. Let us be there for you."

"Why?" Paige finally asked.

"How can you even ask us that, Paige? We're your sisters, we love you."

Paige shook her head, leaning over so that her hair fell into her face. "Paige. Honey, don't do this to yourself. Don't do this to us. Please," Piper said.

Paige buried her head in Phoebe's shoulder. "See now, isn't that better?" Phoebe asked. "We'll help you get through this, Paige."

"Thank you," Paige whispered.

"Anytime, Missy Paige, anytime," Piper said, rubbing Paige's back.


	5. It'll be Okay

"How about we have a little mini-sleepover tonight, that way Phoebe and I will be there for you when you wake up," Piper suggested gently.

Paige lifted her head off of Phoebe's shoulder and nodded slowly. "I would like that."

"Well," Piper said, pulling her hand away from Paige's back so that she could check her watch, "It's 6:46 now. How about we go out to dinner, just the three of us, and then we can rent a movie. Leo fixed the VCR in our room so we can watch it and then go to sleep."

"Won't Leo mind us taking over his wife and room all night?" Paige asked.

"Don't worry about him. Him being Leo he probably won't make it home tonight anyway."

"And the club?" Paige prodded.

"Screw the club. You are more important."

Paige smiled faintly. "Thank you."

Piper smiled back. "You're very welcome. And my dear Phoebe, what do you say to this plan?"

"I was wondering when it would be my turn to talk. I love the plan."

"Excellent, out the door we go," Piper said herding her younger sisters off the couch and into the foyer. "To the SUV. Come on, ladies."

"Uh, Piper," Phoebe began.

"Yes?"

"Keys?"

"Oh yes, where did I leave me keys?"

Phoebe rolled her eyes and looked at Paige. Paige go the hint and called out "Keys!" Three sets of keys appeared in her hand. "Take your pick," she said, holding her open and out to Piper.

"Half-breed," Piper muttered goodheartedly. Phoebe and Paige both laughed. That was what Piper had called Paige the first time she had used her power. "There, I got a smile out of you! See, it'll all be okay."

"I know, Pipe, I know," Paige replied solemnly. "Can we go eat now, I'm starved."

"Yeah, let's go," Phoebe said, wrapping her arm around Paige's waist.


	6. Outter or Inner?

Paige awoke breathlessly, sitting up with a start. "Whoa, Paige, slow down. Are you ok?" Phoebe asked, gently placing her hand on her little sister's arm.

"Yeah, what happened?"

That's what I'd like you to answer," Piper said. "You fell asleep during the movie."

"Oh." Paige looked like she was in a daze.

"Paige?" Phoebe prodded.

"I'm fine, I just had a weird dream."

"Do you want to talk about it, honey?"

Paige shook her head. "Can we just go upstairs?"

"Of course," Piper said, standing up and collecting the empty popcorn bowls and water glasses. "I'll just clean this up. You two go ahead and get ready for bed."

"Actually, why don't I help you, Piper?" Phoebe hinted.

"Oh, yeah, okay." Normally, Paige would have noticed Phoebe's blatant attempt to talk to Piper about the youngest in private, but tonight she either chose to ignore it or couldn't even tell. Paige stood up and stretched.

"I'll just go get my pillow I guess," Paige shrugged.

"Yeah, you do that," Phoebe replied. "Dirt and grime waits for no witch! Come on, Piper, let's get cleaning!" Phoebe grabbed Piper's arm and dragged her into the kitchen forcefully.

"Ow, Phoebe! Ow, ow! What are you doing?" Piper asked, yanking her arm out of Phoebe's grasp.

"Talking to you in private!"

"Well, duh. Helen Keller would have known that. But what's the emergency? You couldn't wait twenty seconds for Paige to go upstairs?"

"Well, I could have, but I didn't want to."

Piper rolled her eyes. "Well, then what's the pressing matter?"

"Demons."

"Demons?"

"Yes, Demons."

"Okay, Phoebe, you are just repeating 'demons' over and over again, I need a little more detail here!"

Phoebe sighed as if this should all be clear to Piper. "What if it's a demon that's doing it to her?"

"Doing this? Hate to break it to you, Pheebs, but not everything bad that happens is because of a demon. This is all Paige and her past. The only demons involved here are inner demons. Now scoot!" Piper waved Phoebe out of the kitchen.


End file.
